A Beating, A Blessing
by wingedflower
Summary: HTTYD HOGWARTS AU. Hiccup was sure that today's Quidditch game has ruined his chances with Astrid forever, but it turns out that sometimes a Bludger to the ribs is exactly what you need to get one step closer to the girl of your dreams. UPDATE 20/3/2016: just added a second chapter, might become a series of short stories or drabbles if I feel like it.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I normally don't read or write AUs... it's just not my cup of tea. However, I had those crazy Hogwarts headcanons for the HTTYD characters in my head for quite a long time, and I just had to get them out of my system, so... yeah, nearly 4000 words of this thing happened. :P I actually had a blast writing it, so I hope you guys enjoy reading it as well.**

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"This is the worst day of my life."

"Nah, it could have been worse; At least you guys won the game."

"She is never going to talk to me again, Fishlegs. _Ever._ "

"Well, it's not like she talked to you much in the first place..."

"You're a really lousy best friend, you know that?"

Hiccup sat on the edge of one of the infirmary beds, hugging himself and feeling utterly miserable. His ribs didn't exactly hurt anymore - the nurse had fixed them up in a second - but she still made him stay in the infirmary for the next hour, just to make sure he doesn't develop any funny symptoms. And even though Fishlegs was kind enough to keep him company, it didn't make him feel any better.

"Look, Hiccup, it's not the first time you beat Astrid in Quidditch," Fishlegs said. "You've both been Seekers for your house teams for - what, three years? Four? You've played against each other a dozen times - last year Gryffindor even won the Cup. And since Astrid didn't kill you then, well, I doubt she'll do it after today. It's not even the semi-finals yet."

"The only reason she hasn't killed me yet is probably because she's busy killing the twins first."

"What can I say? The twins really stepped it up this time."

Hiccup groaned and buried his face in his hands. The Thorston twins were Gryffindor's Beaters for almost as long as he was their Seeker, and honestly, he couldn't understand why they were still on the team. Maybe it was because they actually had a pretty good aim, and when they locked on a target and worked together they almost always hit it with success. The only problem was that they usually preferred to target _each other_ , or worse, their own teammates - especially Hiccup. Over the years he'd missed the Snitch at least three times because he had to perform some complicated maneuver in order to avoid a Bludger delivered right at him by Tuffnut or Ruffnut's skillful hands. One time said Bludger actually hit him in the head, and he laid unconscious for almost half a day before waking up and discovering that they lost by more than two hundred points.

He would give anything to be hit in the head again if that would erase today's events.

The game as a whole actually went pretty smooth for the Gryffindor team; they scored goal after goal, keeping the Slytherines far behind - which wasn't too hard to do since their new Keeper, Snotlout Jorgenson, was more busy showing off his muscles to their Seeker, Astrid Hofferson, than guarding the hoops. Astrid kept yelling at him that he better start focusing on the game before she'll feed him the Quaffle, and that kept her distracted for the better part of the game. So when Hiccup finally located the Snitch at the far end of the field, he could fly right towards it without anyone to interrupt him.

His heart soared when he clenched his hand around the sneaky, golden ball, and waved it high above his head. The wind blew through his hair, the crowd roared in his ears and everything was perfect for just about two seconds.

And then, just as the ending whistle was heard, a Bludger hit him right in the chest and made him roll backwards at least five times, the Snitch slipping from his grip. All the air was knocked out of his lungs and he plummeted uncontrollably towards the earth, barely managing to keep hold of his broomstick.

And if his fall wasn't nasty enough, he had just the luck to hit the specific spot on which Astrid Hofferson landed her broomstick seconds ago.

He didn't know it was her at first - all he could feel was himself crashing against someone's body and tumbling to the ground in an ungraceful lump of tangled limbs. He let out a pain-filled yelp - his ribs felt like they were on fire, the pain so intense he blacked out for a moment.

When he came back to his senses, he found himself face-to-face with Astrid, whose face were only a few inched from his. Her hair got loose from its usually tight braid and she was almost as red as the Gryffindor flag.

"Ew, love on the Quidditch field," Hiccup heard Tuffnut's voice from distance.

"She can do better," Ruffnut snorted. "Tell me, brother, why did you just try to murder our precious Seeker?"

"I didn't try to _murder_ our Seeker, you idiot! That Bludger was aimed at _you_ so you'll stop drooling all over Snotlout's biceps and start beating the shit out of some Slytherines!"

"First of all, I wasn't _drooling_ all over Snotlout's biceps, and second of all - if you were aiming at me then why the hell did you beat it in the opposite direction?!"

"Hmm, that is a truly excellent and justified question. Can I think about it over lunch?"

Hiccup groaned and shut his eyes in pain and frustration. This was so demeaning. Sure, he was hurt by the twins' shenanigans before, but he had never _crashed_ into anyone in result - and into Astrid Hofferson, of all people!

Astrid Hofferson, the girl Hiccup was madly in love with ever since he first saw her at the sorting ceremony. She was called to the hat right after it put Hiccup in Gryffindor, and when Hiccup passed her on his way to the table, he nearly stumbled on his too-long cloak as he turned back to look at her. She was the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, and he simply stood in the middle of the hall and stared at her with his mouth open, until someone from Gryffindor's table pulled at his cloak and urged him to sit down before he'll make a fool of himself.

And making a fool of himself was exactly what Hiccup did for the next five years every time he ran into Astrid. Every time she passed him in the hallway he somehow managed to drop all his books, or tear his bag apart, or get his leg stuck in one of those invisible stairs. He knew it was stupid, that he shouldn't act like this because of some girl, but... the thing was, Astrid wasn't 'some girl'. She was the top student of their year and a Quidditch star and the most beautiful girl in school. No matter how much Hiccup tried, he just couldn't get her out of his head.

Astrid has never noticed any of this, of course - she was always surrounded by friends who were far cooler and more talented than Hiccup, so why would she even spare him a look - him, who could barely turn a beetle into a button even on his fifth year? If they hadn't got to play Quidditch against each other from time to time, she probably wouldn't have even remembered his name. Not that knowing his name improved her impression of Hiccup whatsoever - one time they were paired during Potions, and Hiccup was so nervous he somehow managed to completely melt Astrid's cauldron. She fixed it with a simple spell but still refused to talk to him until class was over, which was understandable, but hurtful nonetheless.

And now he beat her in Quidditch _and_ crashed into her right after that. She was crouched on top of him, glaring at him as if she was more than ready to retrieve that Bludger and use it to break his skull, then got to her feet in one quick move and blew her bangs away from her face - something she tended to do when she was particularly annoyed.

Hiccup opened his mouth to say something, but he was still too out of breath to produce any sound. Then, suddenly, he was surrounded by his worried teammates (except for the twins, who were still quarreling somewhere in the background) and their referee.

"Everyone step back, give him some air," the referee ordered. "Haddock, can you hear me? Do you know where you are?"

"Uhh, s-sure," Hiccup choked. The referee started to feel around his chest, and he yelped again when her fingers pressed against his aching bones.

"Hmm, those ribs are definitely broken," the referee said. "I'll have to take you to the infirmary. You over there, bring me the stretcher!"

When Hiccup was hauled onto the stretcher the pain in his ribs became so unbearable he could no longer keep conscious. The last image that raced through his mind before he passed out was Astrid's red, angry face, and the thought of how she'll never talk to him again.

And now he was sitting here in the infirmary, unable to do anything but pitying himself.

"Look, Hiccup," Fishlegs tried again. "It's... it's really not that bad. I mean, at the end, you didn't cause Astrid any injury - you just made her fall to the ground. I'm sure she'll get over it. And don't forget that she is an extremely smart person - she probably realizes that it wasn't your fault. It's not like you _chose_ to crash into her."

"Even if she doesn't blame me, she probably still thinks I'm a total loser."

"Well, Hiccup, I hate to break it to you, but it's not like you ever were the school's hero or something..."

"You don't understand, Fishlegs!" Hiccup burst. "Quidditch... Quidditch is the only thing I'm good at. Like, _really_ good at. You know how much I suck at everything else - except for Care of Magical Creatures, maybe, but no one really cares about that class. Hell, my dad's still not entirely sure that I'm not a Squib! So why would Astrid Hofferson ever even _consider_ talking to me? To the worst wizard Hogwarts has ever known? There's no way _that's_ going to happen, right? But I always thought that maybe - I mean, if I keep kicking ass on the field, then maybe there's a _tiny_ chance that, at some point, Astrid will stop looking at me like I'm some Bubotuber pus that's been stuck to her shoe. But now... now even that tiny chance is gone, because apparently, I can't keep myself from being a walking disaster even on the field."

His speech left him out of breath, and neither of them spoke for a few moments.

"Wow, Hiccup, that was really depressing," Fishlegs finally said.

"Thank you for summing that up," Hiccup murmured as the door to the infirmary suddenly opened. He thought it was the nurse, coming to tell him that he was okay and could be dismissed, but he was wrong.

It was Astrid Hofferson.

She stood at the door, her hands on her hips and an unreadable expression on her perfectly shaped face.

Hiccup felt his entire face burning up almost instantly, along with his mouth going dry and his heart dropping to his stomach.

"Um, I think she's done killing the twins," Fishlegs whispered in a shaky voice. "And now she's here to finish the job... you know what, Hiccup, I should really head back to the Huffelpuff common room, I have a this huge exam in, um, _all_ the classes..."

He mumbled "it was nice knowing you" before darting out of the infirmary, careful not to get too close to Astrid, who was still standing silently at the door.

Hiccup glanced sideways, his ears growing so hot he was almost sure they were smoking. "Oh, hi, Astrid!" he said in a painfully high voice. "I-I didn't see you there!" _You 'didn't see her there'? She's standing right in front of you, you stupid, useless human being!_

Astrid raised one elegant eyebrow. "Don't tell me the Bludger messed up your eyesight as well."

Hiccup shook his head feverishly. "No, nope, my eyesight is fine, thank you. It is completely un-messed." _For the love of God, stop talking._

Astrid shrugged. "If you say so," she said and approached him, leaning against the bed next to his. Hiccup gulped, feeling slightly dizzy from the fact that she stood so close to him. He was never alone with her in the same room before.

She tilted her head to the side and examined him. "How are your ribs?"

Hiccup was taken aback for a moment. Did Astrid really ask about his ribs right now, or did he imagine that? Why would she care? He had practically crashed into her earlier this day! She shouldn't care about his wellbeing, she should be furious! But, oddly enough, Astrid didn't look furious, nor did she look particularly worried about him. She looked as if she simply waited for him to answer her question.

"They're-" he cleared his throat. "They're fine, um, the ribs. T-the nurse said that I can go back to my house in an hour."

Astrid nodded. "That's good, I guess. I mean, you looked kinda out of it back there, so... I just thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing."

Hiccup nearly fell off the bed. So Astrid Hofferson actually _cared_ about him? Was he sure he didn't hit his head when he fell?

"Thank you," he panted. "That's... that's really nice of you." He dared half a smile. "I thought you'd be mad at me, you know, for crashing into you and all that. I mean... you kinda looked like you wanted to kill me."

Astrid frowned. "Don't be ridiculous, I knew it wasn't your fault. Yes, I was shocked for a minute, but I wasn't _mad_ at you. But you should really get new Beaters already, for crying out loud! Those Thorstons are not good for anything other than raising chaos and sabotaging the game."

"Hey, they can be pretty good Beaters when they want to," Hiccup said. "And by 'good' I mean 'aim at the other team's players'. They do it... sometimes."

"Well, if I was their captain, I would kick their assess out of my team after the first time they pulled such a trick, and ban them from flying for life," Astrid said sharply. Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle, and her expression softened. "Besides, that was a pretty impressive catch," she said. "Too bad they messed it up."

Hiccup's ears were ringing. There was no way Astrid has just _complimented_ him. She had never complimented him about anything, not even after his catch at the Finals last years. In fact, back then she looked more as if she was ready to rip his arm off its socket.

"Oh, it was nothing special," he scratched his head sheepishly. "It wasn't better than any of _your_ catches. Besides, I had a pretty clear path..."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Astrid groaned and rolled her eyes. "That was just _embarrassing._ I wasn't able to focus on the game, and that was a mistake I'll never make again. It's another reason why I was so upset after it was over. Otherwise we would have kicked your asses, I hope you know it. No 'clear paths' for you, Haddock. I would have made you eat dirt." She pointed at his chest.

"I'm... well aware of that," Hiccup said, a bit dazed.

Astrid let out another frustrated groan. "I knew I shouldn't have let this Jorgenson guy into the team," she said bitterly. "It's like what you said about the twins - he can be a decent Keeper... when he _wants_ to. Anyway, we won't have the chance to find out anymore, because I already kicked him out of the team."

"Seriously? Already?"

"Yep. Right after they took you to the castle. I'm not going to take any more of this bullshit in my team. He had his chance and he missed it, end of story. And that's exactly the approach you should take with those idiotic twins."

"Well, I'm not the captain yet, but I'll pass the word," Hiccup said with a small grin. The tightness in his stomach loosened a bit, and he felt his face slowly going back to a normal temperature. He was chatting with Astrid Hofferson for the past five minutes, and so far he didn't pass out or threw up. Fishlegs would never believe him.

Unfortunately, once they covered Quidditch, it turned out they didn't exactly have something else to talk about. After a minute or two of silence Astrid turned her gaze from Hiccup to the window and began to tap her foot impatiently, as if she wanted to leave and didn't know how to tell him that without being rude. Hiccup cringed internally. _She's just being nice,_ he reminded himself. _She came to check on you because she's a nice and thoughtful person, that's all. This doesn't mean she's planning to spend the entire afternoon here with the current embarrassment of Gryffindor._

He cleared his throat again. "Listen, Astrid, it was really nice of you to come here and check on me, but I'm fine, honestly, so... you can go. Not that I want you to go!" He added hastily when she narrowed her eyes at him. "I actually don't want you to go - I mean, um, what I want to say is, you probably have better things to do right now, but if you don't, then you can stay here. But only if you want to. I'm good either way!" _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Can you get any lamer than you already are?!_

But Astrid only sighed. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something," she said quietly. "I've been planning to ask you for a while, but... never got the chance, I suppose."

Hiccup's heart began pounding so fast his chest hurt. Could she mean...?

"I need a favor," Astrid continued.

 _Oh, she's just asking for a favor. Well of course she is. What else did you think was happening?_

"S-sure!" Hiccup said, hoping she won't notice how sweaty his hands got. "I'll be delighted to help. Anything you need!" he exclaimed way too cheerfully. Merlin's pants, why couldn't he talk like a normal person whenever he was next to Astrid?

Astrid glanced sideways, looking uncomfortable all of a sudden. "I was wondering if you could help me out a little with those Hippogriffs," she said.

Hiccup stared at in shock. True, they learned about Hippogriffs at their last Care for Magical Creatures lesson, but why would Astrid want him to help her with them? "Err... w-what seems to be the problem?" he stuttered.

"Well, they... I don't know, they just don't like me, okay?!" Astrid burst all of a sudden, making Hiccup lean back in surprise. "Sorry," she muttered, hugging herself with one arm. "It's just that... I don't get it. I did exactly as we were told - made this stupid bow, didn't look them in the eyes... and they still won't let me go near them! But you... you managed to _ride_ one after barely ten minutes! How did you make it look so easy?!"

Hiccup blushed. He was always good with animals, magical or not - this and Quidditch were the only things he was good at, actually, so hearing all those compliments - and from Astrid, of all people - was not bad at all for his ego. He tried to sound as casual as possible when he said, "Well, you know, I guess my extremely non-threatening image has helped me gain those guys' trust pretty easily."

Astrid raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that I have a 'threatening image'?"

Hiccup kicked himself mentally. "No, of course not!" he called, blushing even more to the point when his ears felt as if they were smoking again. "What I'm saying is... you have to be patient, that's all. Hippogriffs are extremely intelligent creatures - they analyze your every move. It's not enough to follow the professor's orders - you have to really try and connect with them. Maybe the reason they didn't open up to you was because they felt that all you wanted was to get this assignment done, and they considered it disrespectful."

He didn't really think about the last sentence until it came out of his mouth. A second later he realized what he just said and shut his mouth at once, half expecting Astrid to slap him.

However, she seemed thoughtful. "That... actually makes sense," she said slowly. "I've never thought about it like this. I'm... not exactly the patient type," now she was the one who was blushing, and Hiccup was so shocked he thought for a moment that this Bludger did mess up his eyesight after all. He had never seen Astrid Hofferson blush before - unless he counted all the times her face became red from rage, usually followed by a nasty curse aimed at the person who dared to annoy her.

And then Astrid did another thing she had never done before - she _smiled_ at him. It wasn't the first time Hiccup saw her smile, but it was definitely the first time her smile was aimed at him. It was the most beautiful thing he has even seen.

"Sooo..." she started. "Think we can go to the Hippogriffs' paddock some time so you can show me how to be more patient with those guys? Maybe... tomorrow? It's Sunday, so we'll have plenty of time. Are you free after lunch?"

"T-tomorrow?" Hiccup wheezed. "Like... the day after today?"

"Um, yes," Astrid wrinkled her forehead. "Hiccup, I seriously think you should get your head checked."

 _Pull yourself together, Haddock, Astrid Hofferson just asked you to meet with her alone on your day off, and you are strictly forbidden to mess it up._

Hiccup cleared his throat. "Tomorrow after lunch is great," he said in the most stable voice he could manage. "Just great. Fantastic. Spectacular. I'll see you there."

"Good," Astrid nodded and turned to the door, but seemed regretful all of a sudden. She turned back to him, raised her arm and punched him hard in the shoulder.

Hiccup yelped in a mixture of pain and shock, grabbing his shoulder. "W-what?! Why would you do that?!" He whined.

" _That's_ for crashing into me and make me look like an idiot in front of the whole school!" she said sharply.

"But you said it wasn't my - "

He never got to finish his sentence, because Astrid grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and planted a kiss on his cheek.

It was only a small peck - she pulled away almost instantly, her cheeks flushed. She brushed her bangs behind her ear in a nervous gesture, avoiding his gaze.

"And that's for... everything else," she said quietly and dashed out of the infirmary before Hiccup got the chance to say anything.

Hiccup simply sat there, staring at the door with his mouth open. The pain in his shoulder was immediately forgotten and he slowly lifted his hand to his burning cheek, swearing not to wash this part of his face ever again.

He also made a mental note to speak with his Captain and tell her to let the Thorston twins stay in the team for the rest of their lives, and perhaps have them both receive special awards for service to the school and the entire wizard world.

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 **Aaaand we're done. :) By the way, I strongly believe that Hiccup and Astrid become a couple at a certain point, and after they graduate, Astrid becomes a famous Quidditch player while Hiccup finally finds his dream job - working with DRAGONS, of course! (and then one of them bits his leg off... but this doesn't stop him, of course!)**

 **Also, I know that putting Hiccup in Gryffindor and Astrid in Slytherine may seem a bit 'obvious' to some people, but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way! Besides, it's just a headcanon, so there's no need to take it too seriously. :)**

 **Reviews make my day!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oops, my hand slipped.**

 **When I first wrote this AU I had no intention of continuing it. It was just me messing around with my HTTYD/HP headcanons. But then I got an idea to write another scene between Hiccup and Astrid because I felt like they have a lot to talk about, and so, a new chapter was born.**

 **I have no idea if I'm going to add more to this AU in the future. This chapter could be the last one, or I can get inspired to write more in a week, a month, a year... who knows. Anyway, all chapters will be posted here because I would like to keep everything from this AU in one place.**

 **This one takes place a few months after the first chapter. Hiccup and Astrid are in the midst of their OWLS.**

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"Sorry, I just don't get it," Astrid said. "Why name a cat _Toothless_? As far as I see it, he's got all his teeth right where they should be".

Hiccup smiled a lopsided smile. "Come on, bud, show her your trick," he told the giant, black-as-night cat that was curled in his lap, snoozing in the warm June sun.

Toothless opened one green eye and closed it again with a huff, as if to say, _leave me alone, I'm not in the mood to help you impress some pretty girl._

"Don't be rude, Toothless, she's a friend," Hiccup gently scratched the cat under his chin. "I promise that if you do this, I'll bring you a whole salmon from dinner."

The cat's ears perked at the mention of potential dinner. He stretched in Hiccup's lap and released a huge yawn sucking all his teeth into his gums at once.

"Whoa!" Astrid called, shocked. "Retractable teeth?! I didn't even know cats can _do_ that!"

"Not all the cats," Hiccup said, still smiling, and patted Toothless who settled back into his napping position. "In fact, the guy at the pet store told me that Toothless was the only cat he ever saw doing that, and I thought it was pretty cool. Apparently nobody wanted to take him because of his missing tail..." he pointed to the short tuft of fur at Toothless's behind, "So, you know, I couldn't just leave him there."

"How did he lose it?" Astrid reached out her hand and tickled Toothless behind the ears. Toothless purred in delight, his eyes still shut.

Hiccup shrugged. "I don't know. They said they found him like this. Probably got into a fight with alley dogs or something. He likes to think he's a tough guy."

"I'm sure he is," Astrid smiled. She stretched her arms behind her back, sighing in content. "It's not like I have anything against cats, but I was always more of a bird person." Hiccup wasn't surprised at all - Astrid had the most beautiful owl in school, a giant, proud creature with blue and yellow feathers. Every time it entered the Hall to drop a letter, everybody turned their heads to see who it was for.

"And how do _you_ call your bird? Can't be a better name than Toothless," Hiccup teased.

Astrid laughed. "Actually, it's Stormfly," she said lightly.

"Okay, that's way cooler than Toothless. You win."

Toothless meowed in protest.

"Yep. Had her since I was little. She's like a part of the family."

Hiccup sighed. "I wish I could say the same thing about Toothless," he said. "I mean, he's my best friend - sleeps in my bed and all - but my Dad still hasn't grown to like him very much. He hates cats. Like, _really_ hates them. He almost didn't let me have him, but luckily it was already after he swore he'd let me pick any pet I wanted - _that's_ how relieved he was when I finally got the letter from Hogwarts."

Astrid wrinkled her forehead. "What do you mean by 'relieved'? Did he honestly think you weren't a true wizard?"

Hiccup bit his lower lip, already regretting his last sentence. He hated talking about this subject, and he sure didn't want to bring that up during a conversation with Astrid - not when they were getting along so well. Over the last couple of months they became friends - _actual_ friends, even though Hiccup still found it extremely hard to believe. He had never made a friend in this school except for Fishlegs, and that was only because Fishlegs was even bigger a nerd than Hiccup was. So suddenly befriending a new person - who was _Astrid Hofferson_ , of all people - was quite overwhelming.

He couldn't stand the thought of ruining it, so he decided to keep his mouth shut about all those Dad issues. It wasn't something that anyone wanted to hear anyway.

"H-how did your exam go?" he blurted, hoping to change the subject.

Astrid shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. I'm a bit worried about the practical part, because my potion turned out forest green instead of emerald green, but I hope it's not too important."

Hiccup snorted. "I'm pretty sure even the examiners can't tell between forest green and emerald green."

"I can tell. Your eyes are forest green, right?"

Hiccup felt his face burning. Even though he no longer felt like fainting every time Astrid talked to him, hearing her commenting on his looks still managed to completely throw him off balance. _Was that even a compliment? She just pointed out a fact. Damn it, why do girls have to be so confusing?!_ "Um - all I'm saying is, you'll probably get an Outstanding," he murmured.

Astrid leaned back to a lie on the grass, closing her eyes. Her golden hair sprawled around her head like a halo, and Hiccup swallowed hard, trying his best not to stare and focus on stroking Toothless instead.

"I hope you're right," Astrid said. "How did you do in there?"

"Eh, I think I did fine, too," Hiccup said. He was actually pretty good at potions - decent, at worst. The only times he screwed up during class were when Astrid was standing too close, since her mere presence was enough to make his entire body feel like jelly. Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures - he was not a complete failure at anything that required him to work with his hands rather than wave his wand, which almost always ended up as a colossal disaster. "I don't know the exact shade of green my potion turned out, but I'm one-hundred percent positive it was _green_ , so I'll probably get a pass." He snorted. "It was better than my Transfiguration exam, that I can say for sure."

Astrid opened one eye. "That bad?"

"You have no idea. Honestly, I just want to get my T and get this over with. I've had enough of this crap in the last five years."

"I could have helped you practice, you know. All you had to do was ask."

"I really appreciate this, Astrid, but trust me - even you couldn't make it happen. We were just not meant to be, me and Switching Spells - or me and _any spell_ , for that matter."

Astrid sat up again and looked at him. "Hiccup, I think you should start thinking more seriously about your future," she said. "I know you love joking about how you suck at magic and all that, but those O. are _important_. Two years from now you'll no longer be a student. You'll be a grown-up wizard. Do you have some sort of plan?"

Hiccup's shoulders dropped. Not _this_ again. He had this conversation with his Dad more times than he could remember, and he really didn't want to have it with Astrid as well. _Does anybody in this world think I'm worth something?_

But maybe Astrid will be different from his Dad. After all, she didn't kill him after he crashed into her during Quidditch, so maybe her reaction to what he was about to say won't be so bad. He sighed. "I do have a plan, actually," he said quietly.

Astrid looked at him with anticipation. "Well? Tell me!"

"You're going to say it's dumb."

"No I won't."

"Promise you won't laugh at me."

"I promise."

"I'm serious, Astrid. Swear on Stormfly."

"What - oh, come on! Fine! I swear on Stormfly I won't laugh at you. Now can you please tell what the big secret is?"

Hiccup breathed deeply. "I - I want to train dragons," he blurted and immediately looked sideways, not wanting to see Astrid's expression.

An awkward silence hung between them for a couple of seconds.

"You want to train dragons," Astrid repeated, slowly.

"Yes." Oh, this was a bad idea. "I know, it's stupid. Forget I said anything."

"No, it's not stupid." Astrid stared in front of her for a few seconds, thoughtful, and then a large grin spread on her face. "Hiccup - it's an _amazing_ idea!" she called and punched him hard in the arm, as she sometimes did when she was too excited.

Hiccup nearly fell backwards - he still hasn't got used to her violent acts of affection - but he was mostly taken aback by Astrid's enthusiasm. "Wait, you... you don't think I'm a total freak?" he asked weakly.

"I _do_ think you're a total freak, but in a good way," Astrid said with a wink, and Hiccup couldn't help chuckle. "But seriously, Hiccup, I'm sure you'll do great in dragon training. I mean, you're so good with animals - the best I've seen, actually. Or did you already forget how you convinced a Hippogriff to let you ride him in less than ten minutes?"

Hiccup blushed, trying very hard not to look too pleased with himself. "I don't know... I mean, dragons are not just _animals._ They're... well, they're _dragons._ They're different from all the creatures we see in class."

"It doesn't matter. This kind of job is perfect for you, and if that's your dream, you shouldn't be ashamed of it," Astrid said, and Hiccup blushed even harder. "Have you already told your Dad about your plan?"

Hiccup's joyous mood faltered at once. He looked at the ground, his palm resting on Toothless's head. "I highly doubt the Minister of Magic will be happy with his son leaving to chase dragons in eastern Europe. He would probably aim for a more... _honorable_ job."

Astrid thought about it for a moment. "In that case, you can work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I'm sure your Dad can get you in."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I don't want to get a job just because I'm the 'son of'," he said bitterly. "I want people to hire me because of my _own_ skills! And I _definitely_ don't want to work in the same place as Dad. Nope. No thank you. I need to be... _out_ there, with the beasts, okay? The last thing I need is to be locked inside a claustrophobic office with my father constantly breathing down my neck."

He didn't notice he was practically yelling until Toothless meowed angrily and leapt to his feet, deciding that his human's lap was no longer a proper place for a nap. He made sure to smack Hiccup's face with his tail before bolting towards the Forbidden Forest with a hiss, his dark figure disappearing between the trees within seconds.

Hiccup was about to say something about his ungrateful cat when he met Astrid's gaze, which was a mixture of concern and utter shock.

He cringed internally. _Way to go, Haddock, you just lost your shit in front of the girl of your dreams. If she thought you were a freak earlier, well, you don't want to know what she's thinking about you now._

"Sorry about all... this," he muttered. "I just... damn, this is so messed up," he sat straight and smoothed his bangs from his face, trying to bring himself together.

It took Astrid a couple of seconds, but finally her shocked expression softened and she gave him a small smile. "Touchy subject?"

"That's one way of putting it."

"Sorry for bringing that up."

Hiccup laughed humorlessly. "Come on, don't apologize. You didn't know."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I... maybe some other time."

"Okay." They remained silent for a minute. Astrid occupied herself with tearing grass off the ground, and Hiccup tried hard to think of a way to liven their conversation. He didn't want her to leave just yet.

"So... what is _your_ plan?" he asked eventually.

"Excuse me?"

"You asked me about my plans for the future; it's only fair you'll tell me yours, right?"

Astrid shook her head in amusement. "I guess you're right." She puffed her cheeks and released a long breath. "The thing is, I don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"My plans for the future, genius. I don't know what I want to do after I graduate, okay?"

Hiccup's jaw dropped.

Astrid raised an eyebrow. "You'll catch a fly if you keep your mouth open like that."

"B-but... you just _told_ me I should be thinking more seriously about my future! H-how's that fair?!"

"Only because I wanted you to realize that you actually _don't_ suck at everything!" Astrid said.

"I... don't know how to respond to that."

"A 'thank you' would be a good start, dumbass."

Hiccup tried to keep an offended expression, but found himself smiling like an idiot instead. "Thank you for believing in me, Astrid. You're probably the first ever."

"You're welcome." She reached out and squeezed his arm, and his body was on fire all over again.

"But honestly, you don't have a clue of what you want to do after school? This isn't like you," Hiccup said. "I mean, you always seem so... _focused_ , you know?"

"I _am_ focused," Astrid frowned. "And it's not like I don't have any options in mind. I just keep changing my mind, like, every two days."

"What options?"

"Well, first of all, there's always Quidditch. I'm pretty sure that if I train hard I can make it to the national team in a couple of years. You too, by the way!"

"Meh," Hiccup shook his head. "I love flying, but never thought of making a career out of it. Besides, I wouldn't want to try out for the same team as you. You'll eat me alive."

"Your words, not mine. But yeah, I can see that happening."

"Well, I'd like to keep all my limbs intact, thank you very much."

"I wouldn't count on that. You still have two more years of playing on the same team as the Thorston twins."

"Thanks for reminding me. So, aside from Quidditch, what else?"

"Let's see... well, chasing dark wizards sounds fun as well. I think I'd make a pretty good Auror."

Hiccup nearly fell backwards again. " _Fun?!_ Fighting dangerous, evil maniacs who do horrible things to innocent people and want to take over the world?! I'm sorry, but I don't think you fully understand the definition of 'fun'."

"Says the guy who wants to train the most dangerous beasts on earth for a living!"

"T-this is different!"

"Oh, and how's that?"

"Because dragons are not _evil_ ," Hiccup suddenly stood up and gestured wildly in the air, as he often did when he tried to explain things and got a little too enthusiastic. "They're just... being dragons. They're wild and stubborn, but it's their nature. All their actions are of pure survival and - um, Astrid, what are you doing?"

Astrid was bouncing her shoulders and waving her arms awkwardly from the moment he started talking. A shriek of laughter escaped her when she caught him staring at her in confusion.

"I'm sorry," she choked, "I just can't help but wonder whether you lose the ability to speak when your hands are bound."

"What are you..." and then it hit him. His face turned deep scarlet at once. "Oh, come on! Yes - very flattering impersonation, Astrid, honestly, I feel _so much_ better now."

Astrid only bounced her shoulders higher, giggling nonstop.

Hiccup rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air. "Seriously, when have I ever done this with my shoulders?!"

"You just did!" Astrid called and pointed at him, breathless from laughter.

Hiccup gave up and settled back beside her. "Would you quit it?! We're in the middle of a very important discussion, remember? Our entire future depends on this! Very serious!"

Astrid tilted her head and made such a face that Hiccup couldn't help but join her laughter. "Fine, I get it. I sound ridiculous when I talk."

"No. You _look_ ridiculous when you talk," Astrid corrected him. "But all those things you just said about dragons? It only proves what I said earlier, that you're going to be an amazing dragon trainer."

Hiccup scratched his neck in embarrassment. "You really think so?"

"I _know_ so," Astrid said, looking him straight in the eyes (which made him extremely nervous and sweaty and took all he had not to avert his gaze from those two amazing, sapphire-blue pools). "You may think that school is a complete waste of time for you, Hiccup, but when you talk about dragons, you sound truly passionate. And I know that as long as you feel this passion, you're going to do great things."

Hiccup's head was spinning. Sitting alone with Astrid on this beautiful day, telling her about his dreams and hearing her encouraging him, complimenting him, _believing in him_ \- this was all a bit too much for him. He tried to answer, but it seemed as if his mouth forgot how to produce words, so it him took a few choking noises to complete a sentence. " _You're_ the one who's going to do great things," he croaked. "Even... even if you still don't know what you want to be when you grow up."

"'What I want to be when I grow up?' What are you, five years old?" Astrid laughed, and Hiccup blushed against his will. She stretched her arms high above her head, cracked her neck a few times and leapt to her feet in one graceful move. "Come on. Break's over. We have History of Magic in two days."

"Ugh, don't remind me", Hiccup sighed, dragging himself after her. "I swear to God that Fishlegs is the only person in the history of magic who is going to pass an O.W.L in... well, History of Magic."

"He really likes all those trivia facts about weird dudes who lived eight hundred years ago, doesn't he?"

"Yep. Don't ask me why."

"Well, he's very committed, I'll give him that." Astrid turned to look at the direction of the Forbidden Forest. "Is Toothless going to be alright out there?"

"Oh yes, don't worry about him," Hiccup bent to brush the grass from his knees. "He goes there all the time. Sometimes he gets into fights with giant spiders, but they always chase him away."

Astrid smirked. "He wants to fight spiders, you want to train dragons... you two are perfect for each other."

"Err... thanks, I guess?"

"You're welcome. Race you to the castle!"

"What - hey!" but Astrid was already sprinting away, making it impossible for him to even think about catching up. Not that he stood a chance against her to begin with, of course.

Hiccup shook his head in disbelief. Astrid Hofferson was so much different from what he had imagined all those years. Every time he thought he was starting to understand her, he was proven wrong - and that was even more confusing than before, when she never spared him a second look. He has earned her friendship - he was quite sure about that; but will he even earn more than that? He had no idea.

But at least she had faith in him, and for now, it was enough to make life a little bit better and the June sun a little bit brighter.

* * *

 **I'm sorry if the ending is kind of... meh. I honestly had no idea how to finish this. XD**

 **A small note: I know that Stormfly's design in the films is based on a parrot, not an owl. But since I've never heard about anyone in the wizard world who has a parrot as a pet, I decided to make her an owl. I'm sure that a blue-and-yellow owl is not considered too peculiar in this world.  
**

 **Also, I understand that some people won't agree that Astrid should be in Slytherine. That's okay - to each his own opinion; but I personally believe that Astrid fits Slytherine because of her ambitiousness and competitiveness, and I also don't see a probmlem with her becoming an auror. There are good Slytherines out there! Not everyone is a racist bastard like they are portrayes in the books.**

 **Let me know what you think of this AU! And if anyone has any ideas for future chapters, you can write them in the comments or PM me. I can't promise anything, of course, but it worth a shot. I take every suggestion very seriously even if I don't end up writing it.**


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